Reflection 1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The goal of our group project is to help students at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Academy better connect with and understand the environment around them, especially when it comes to biodiversity and conservation. We plan to do this through the development of the northern campus, turning it into a space where students can actively learn and explore. Using a science-based approach, we want to create an engaging, hands-on environment that shows students how ecology is part of their everyday lives. By highlighting the relationships between plants, animals, and people, we hope to make these ideas more relatable and meaningful for middle school students in East St. Louis, Illinois. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our project is mainly designed for students in grades 5 through 8. Since ecology builds on basic science concepts, students will need some foundational knowledge of biology, such as simple food chains and how living things depend on one another. In addition to students, teachers are also an important part of this project. The space we create can serve as a dynamic teaching tool that they can use to support their lessons in a more interactive way. The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation is another key stakeholder, as they help guide the direction of the project and ensure that the content and goals align with their mission. As it was mentioned to make it accessible to high school students as well, we think it would be best to keep what we have since what’s being targeted is for 5th<\/sup> through 8th grade students. We hope to get not only them involved but also the community where then maybe highschoolers can become interested about conservation and biodiversity and how they can help their community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflection 2 <\/p>\n\n\n\n For our project, we really want our work to reach the students at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Academy, especially those in grades 5 through 8. They\u2019re the main focus because they\u2019re at an age where they\u2019re starting to understand more about science, but they also still learn best through hands-on experiences. By turning the northern campus into an interactive space, we want to help them actually see and explore biodiversity instead of just reading about it. The goal is for them to understand how plants, animals, and people are all connected, and to realize that ecology is part of their everyday lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Teachers are also really important to this project. We\u2019re not just creating something for students to walk through\u2014we want it to be something teachers can actively use in their lessons. Their input matters because they know what works best in the classroom and what students need to learn. If they help shape the space, it can become a more useful and engaging teaching tool instead of just an outdoor area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another big stakeholder is the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation. Since they\u2019re already involved with the school and the community, their guidance helps make sure our project stays aligned with their mission and actually benefits the students in a meaningful way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, the East St. Louis community also plays a role. Even though we\u2019re focusing on middle schoolers, we hope this project sparks interest in others too, like high school students or families. Overall, all of these groups should help shape our work so it\u2019s relevant, engaging, and something that can last and continue to make an impact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflection 3<\/p>\n\n\n\n The process of giving and receiving feedback has always been something I\u2019ve had mixed feelings about. At times, I appreciate it because it helps me grow and see things from a different perspective, but other times it can feel uncomfortable especially when I\u2019ve put a lot of effort into something. This semester, I\u2019ve started to better understand that feedback isn\u2019t personal but it\u2019s a tool meant to strengthen both the work and myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to giving feedback, I\u2019ve realized that I tend to be more cautious. I don\u2019t want to come off as harsh or critical, so I sometimes soften my thoughts or hold back certain suggestions. While my intention is to be kind, I\u2019ve learned that this can make my feedback less helpful. Good feedback should be honest, clear, and constructive. Moving forward, I want to focus on being more direct while still being respectful and offering specific suggestions instead of general comments. For example, instead of saying \u201cthis looks good,\u201d I can point out what works well and what could be improved, giving the person something they can actually build on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Receiving feedback has been a bigger area of growth for me. I noticed that I would take feedback personally, especially if it pointed out something I overlooked. It sometimes made me feel like I didn\u2019t do well, even if that wasn\u2019t the intention. Over time, though, I\u2019ve started to shift my mindset. I\u2019ve learned to pause, really listen, and remind myself that feedback is meant to improve the work and not criticize me as a person. One thing that has helped is asking follow up questions when I don\u2019t fully understand the feedback. This turns the experience into more of a conversation rather than something I just receive and react to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another thing I\u2019ve realized is that engaging with feedback is just as important as receiving it. It\u2019s easy to hear suggestions and then move on, but taking the time to apply them makes a real difference. I\u2019ve been trying to be more intentional about reflecting on feedback and using it to make meaningful changes in my work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, I want to continue growing in both giving and receiving feedback. I want to be someone who provides thoughtful, helpful insights while also being open and receptive to what others share with me. This experience has shown me that feedback, when approached the right way, can build stronger relationships, improve collaboration, and lead to better outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflection 4 <\/p>\n\n\n\n In my current group, collaboration, communication, and adaptability were reflected in the work involved in our project. While working together, I learned different perspectives, and attitudes that have formed the way I see my future work now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First of all, collaborating with JJKFAN has taught me the significance of taking joint responsibility and being accountable. Team members’ diverse talents, opinions, and approaches may work both for us and against us as effective communication becomes crucial in order to avoid misunderstandings. The experience shows that discussing everything, being open, and hearing what others have to say is key to successful cooperation. In the future, I am going to pay particular attention to regular updates and meetings within my team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interaction with our community partner revealed to me how critical alignment of our efforts with community priorities is. I perceived our function as generating new ideas and producing something valuable to them. Now after our conversations and discussions, I know that listening and understanding are as important, if not more than creating. My attitude towards social change will change as well, as the experience has proven that there is no place for assumptions when it comes to the needs of the community. This lesson will be applied by me to all my future projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I would also like to thank CODE320 mentors for their valuable guidance and useful insights. In general, thanks to them, I started to think and evaluate my actions critically and be ready to take up new challenges. Their advice, as well as their encouraging attitude and thoughtful questions, inspired me to believe in myself and be even more consistent in my research practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In conclusion, based on my work with various teams during this semester, I have acquired many valuable skills and attitudes that will be applied by me in the nearest future. I am looking forward to being more creative, responsible, and attentive to the needs of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflection 5<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflecting on the current semester as a whole and on my experience in CODES, I can identify several major insights that have become clearer for me. The biggest thing that came out of the project is the need to remain open-minded. Although, initially, it seemed frustrating, I can say now that adapting to changing circumstances is a natural aspect of any research as well as community project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Secondly, participating in team projects helped me realize the importance of collaboration and communication skills. In fact, cooperation is always can bring certain problems that should be managed effectively. On the other hand, working together provides unique opportunities for exchanging thoughts, ideas, and experiences which can help create solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, I got a better understanding of community-based work. I viewed community activities as a process of helping people and generating solutions to existing issues. After completing this project, I understand that community engagement requires listening, respect, and a readiness to cooperate and build relationships. It is important to recognize that a community is rich in terms of potential and knowledge and that one’s task is to assist in developing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, I believe that the experience had during this project made me more confident and allowed me to reflect on my preferences. Specifically, I feel that I became more comfortable with expressing my thoughts and opinions as well as challenging myself. I can conclude that CODES has turned into a significant experience for me. This project helped me to develop my perceptions regarding research, collaboration, and community engagement. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Reflection 1 The goal of our group project is to help students at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Academy better connect with and understand the environment around them, especially when it comes to biodiversity and conservation. We plan to do this through the development of the northern campus, turning it into a space where students can actively learn and explore. Using a science-based approach, we want to create an engaging, hands-on environment that shows students how ecology is part of their everyday lives. By highlighting the relationships between plants, animals, and people, we hope to make these ideas more relatable and meaningful for middle school students in East St. Louis, Illinois. Our project is mainly designed for students in grades 5 through 8. Since ecology builds on basic science concepts, students will need some foundational knowledge of biology, such as simple food chains and how living things depend on one another. In addition to students, teachers are also an important part of this project. The space we create can serve as a dynamic teaching tool that they can use to support their lessons in a more interactive way. The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation is another key stakeholder, as they help guide the direction of the project and ensure that the content and goals align with their mission. As it was mentioned to make it accessible to high school students as well, we think it would be best to keep what we have since what’s being targeted is for 5th through 8th grade students. We hope to get not only them involved but also the community where then maybe highschoolers can become interested about conservation and biodiversity and how they can help their community. Reflection 2 For our project, we really want our work to reach the students at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Academy, especially those in grades 5 through 8. They\u2019re the main focus because they\u2019re at an age where they\u2019re starting to understand more about science, but they also still learn best through hands-on experiences. By turning the northern campus into an interactive space, we want to help them actually see and explore biodiversity instead of just reading about it. The goal is for them to understand how plants, animals, and people are all connected, and to realize that ecology is part of their everyday lives. Teachers are also really important to this project. We\u2019re not just creating something for students to walk through\u2014we want it to be something teachers can actively use in their lessons. Their input matters because they know what works best in the classroom and what students need to learn. If they help shape the space, it can become a more useful and engaging teaching tool instead of just an outdoor area. Another big stakeholder is the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation. Since they\u2019re already involved with the school and the community, their guidance helps make sure our project stays aligned with their mission and actually benefits the students in a meaningful way. Lastly, the East St. Louis community also plays a role. Even though we\u2019re focusing on middle schoolers, we hope this project sparks interest in others too, like high school students or families. Overall, all of these groups should help shape our work so it\u2019s relevant, engaging, and something that can last and continue to make an impact. Reflection 3 The process of giving and receiving feedback has always been something I\u2019ve had mixed feelings about. At times, I appreciate it because it helps me grow and see things from a different perspective, but other times it can feel uncomfortable especially when I\u2019ve put a lot of effort into something. This semester, I\u2019ve started to better understand that feedback isn\u2019t personal but it\u2019s a tool meant to strengthen both the work and myself. When it comes to giving feedback, I\u2019ve realized that I tend to be more cautious. I don\u2019t want to come off as harsh or critical, so I sometimes soften my thoughts or hold back certain suggestions. While my intention is to be kind, I\u2019ve learned that this can make my feedback less helpful. Good feedback should be honest, clear, and constructive. Moving forward, I want to focus on being more direct while still being respectful and offering specific suggestions instead of general comments. For example, instead of saying \u201cthis looks good,\u201d I can point out what works well and what could be improved, giving the person something they can actually build on. Receiving feedback has been a bigger area of growth for me. I noticed that I would take feedback personally, especially if it pointed out something I overlooked. It sometimes made me feel like I didn\u2019t do well, even if that wasn\u2019t the intention. Over time, though, I\u2019ve started to shift my mindset. I\u2019ve learned to pause, really listen, and remind myself that feedback is meant to improve the work and not criticize me as a person. One thing that has helped is asking follow up questions when I don\u2019t fully understand the feedback. This turns the experience into more of a conversation rather than something I just receive and react to. Another thing I\u2019ve realized is that engaging with feedback is just as important as receiving it. It\u2019s easy to hear suggestions and then move on, but taking the time to apply them makes a real difference. I\u2019ve been trying to be more intentional about reflecting on feedback and using it to make meaningful changes in my work. Overall, I want to continue growing in both giving and receiving feedback. I want to be someone who provides thoughtful, helpful insights while also being open and receptive to what others share with me. This experience has shown me that feedback, when approached the right way, can build stronger relationships, improve collaboration, and lead to better outcomes. Reflection 4 In my current group, collaboration, communication, and adaptability were reflected in the work involved in our project. While working together, I learned different perspectives, and attitudes that have formed the way I see my future work now. First of all, collaborating with JJKFAN has taught me the significance of taking joint responsibility and being accountable. Team members’ diverse talents, opinions, and approaches may work both for us and against us as effective communication becomes crucial in order to avoid misunderstandings. The experience shows that discussing everything, being open, and hearing what others have to say is key to successful cooperation. In the future, I am going to pay particular attention to regular updates and meetings within my team. Interaction with our community partner revealed to me how critical alignment of our efforts with community priorities is. I perceived our function as generating new ideas and producing something valuable to them. Now after our conversations and discussions, I know that listening and understanding are as important, if not more than creating. My attitude towards social change will change as well, as the experience has proven that there is no place for assumptions when it comes to the needs of the community. This lesson will be applied by me to all my future projects. I would also like to thank CODE320 mentors for their valuable guidance and useful insights. In general, thanks to them, I started to think and evaluate my actions critically and be ready to take up new challenges. Their advice, as well as their encouraging attitude and thoughtful questions, inspired me to believe in myself and be even more consistent in my research practice. In conclusion, based on my work with various teams during this semester, I have acquired many valuable skills and attitudes that will be applied by me in the nearest future. I am looking forward to being more creative, responsible, and attentive to the needs of others. Reflection 5 Reflecting on the current semester as a whole and on my experience in CODES, I can identify several major insights that have become clearer for me. The biggest thing that came out of the project is the need to remain open-minded. Although, initially, it seemed frustrating, I can say now that adapting to changing circumstances is a natural aspect of any research as well as community project. Secondly, participating in team projects helped me realize the importance of collaboration and communication skills. In fact, cooperation is always can bring certain problems that should be managed effectively. On the other hand, working together provides unique opportunities for exchanging thoughts, ideas, and experiences which can help create solutions. Also, I got a better understanding of community-based work. I viewed community activities as a process of helping people and generating solutions to existing issues. After completing this project, I understand that community engagement requires listening, respect, and a readiness to cooperate and build relationships. It is important to recognize that a community is rich in terms of potential and knowledge and that one’s task is to assist in developing it. Finally, I believe that the experience had during this project made me more confident and allowed me to reflect on my preferences. Specifically, I feel that I became more comfortable with expressing my thoughts and opinions as well as challenging myself. I can conclude that CODES has turned into a significant experience for me. This project helped me to develop my perceptions regarding research, collaboration, and community engagement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":194,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-374","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eportfolio.siue.edu\/nikyra-wheaton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eportfolio.siue.edu\/nikyra-wheaton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eportfolio.siue.edu\/nikyra-wheaton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eportfolio.siue.edu\/nikyra-wheaton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/194"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eportfolio.siue.edu\/nikyra-wheaton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=374"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/eportfolio.siue.edu\/nikyra-wheaton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":413,"href":"https:\/\/eportfolio.siue.edu\/nikyra-wheaton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/374\/revisions\/413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eportfolio.siue.edu\/nikyra-wheaton\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}